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The stadium's first event was a 34-22 preseason Lions' loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since then, there have been college and pro football games, NCAA tournament basketball and hockey matches, Super Bowl XL and even a bull-riding event.

Has Ford Field been a cash cow for the Lions? Read the stories to find out.

Also part of the package is a look the Lions' stadium-related debt load and a story on how the venue was financed — including the Lions paying $420 million of the $500 million capital cost.

What didn't make it into the financing story was Ford Motor Co.'s naming rights. I found a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that details the automaker's deal.

"In February 2002, Ford entered into a Stadium Naming and License Agreement with the Lions pursuant to which we acquired for $50 million the naming rights to a new domed stadium located in downtown Detroit at which the Lions began playing their home games during the 2002 National Football League season. Pursuant to a Concession and Management Agreement between the Lions and the City of Detroit Downtown Development Authority, the Lions have been granted the right to build, operate and use the stadium, including the right to name the stadium or sell that right. We have named the stadium "Ford Field." The term of the naming rights agreement is 25 years, commencing with the 2002 National Football League season. Of the $50 million naming rights fee, which has been used by the Lions to fund in part the construction of the stadium, $30 million was paid in February 2002, $17.5 million was paid in March 2002 and the balance was paid in December 2002. Benefits to Ford under the naming rights agreement include exclusive exterior entrance signage and predominant interior promotional signage. We have analyzed the value of our benefits under the naming rights agreement (including an assessment of the fees paid and benefits received under other naming rights agreements) and we believe the value of our benefits is at least equal to the naming rights fee we paid."

What's interesting here is that it has been widely reported that the deal was for $40 million, and such deals are typically paid over each year of the deal. The naming rights agreement was first announced in 1996.

In this case, the Lions got the money spread over the stadium's first year, and could use the cash to pay down the capital debt.

In March, he was given an eight-year, $132 million deal. That came after a season in which he caught 96 passes for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns — and weekly proved that even three defenders couldn't always stop him. He's unreal, and has proven to be a worthy investment.

Johnson, 26, caught five passes for 111 yards against what's annually billed as one of the league's best defenses. Sure, it was preseason, but what elite players do in that case is what he and franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford did: Make everyone else look all to human.

With 12:21 left in the second quarter, Stafford found Johnson streaking up the right sideline for an 18-yard touchdown pass that left the defender flailing. He caught a 57-yard pass from Stafford earlier in on the drive after the Ravens foolishly left him in one-on-one coverage and the free safety couldn't come over in time to do anything but tackle him from behind.

The Lions' entire playbook and philosophy is built around the Stafford-to-Johnson combination. It's one of the most deadly in the league, and also the highest-priced. No matter what rhetoric emerges from the mouths of players and coaches, Stafford throwing touchdowns to Johnson is the backbone of this team. Running plays, trick plays, passes to other players, the defense, special teams … all of that is designed to, at some level, compliment and/or protect the Stafford-Johnson combo.

It's the team's bread and butter … and plate, butter knife and the plastic bag for the bread.

And it's common sense to accentuate that combination, right? But do you think past Lions regimes would have handled it so well? Common sense is an attribute sorely missing from this franchise for the past several decades.

If that's not elite, I'm baffled as to what is. Billick's remark was foolish. While Stafford does not yet have a playoff victory -- this team is just three seasons removed from 0-16 -- he put up statistics that are beyond a fluke. If Billick's metric for "elite" is playoff victories and Super Bowls, then Trent freakin' Dilfer is elite. Does anyone not on bath salts from Baltimore's Inner Harbor believe that?

The Stafford kid is good. Elite, in fact. So elite he's expected to soon become one of the league's top-paid quarterbacks.

The dumb Billick remark did have a happy ending. While I live tweeted Friday's game (you can and should immediately follow me on Twitter at @Bill_Shea19), I mentioned Billick's comment. I got a response from Stafford's hair.